KRIS EKLUND
Kris Eklund, a graduate from Grapevine High School, is a two-sport standout in both football and track. Eklund’s prep career included all district honors in football and all-state honors in track. He also holds the school record with a jump of 6’9-1/2. Turning down multiple offers in football, Eklund chose to pursue a collegiate career in track. Eklund started his career at Saddelback Community College where he received all-conference honors. After a promising start to his track career, Kris decided to take a scholarship at the University of Texas at Arlington. There Kris excelled in the triple, High, and long jump, earning all-conference honors once again. Kris had is personal best in high jump during conference, posting a 6’11-3/4. His personal best in triple and long are 47’9 and 24’1, respectively. Kris also is a member of the highly respected athletic club, Colt 45. In his free time Kris enjoys the company of classy females.
KENT MENNEM
Mennem was a two sport standout at Medford High in Medford, OK. He played football and ran track and field. In track he was 5 time all state. His sophomore year he was part of the State Championship 4x400m relay, and his senior year he won the 200m, 400m, 4x100m, and 4x400m races at state. He owns the school records in the 100m, 400m, and shares the 4x400m relay record.
In football Kent was a two time district kick returner, All-NorthwestAllState and K101 All Star. He rushed for over 1,000 yards his senior season and returned over 1,000 kick return yards in his career. His junior season he was the top kick returner in the state in all classes.
Mennem was recruited by over 10 colleges for football and track. Mennem accepted a track scholarship to TexasA&MCorpus ChristiUniversity and immediately became a member of the school record breaking 4x400m relays indoor and outdoors. He was part of the Border Olympics winning 4x400m relay. Mennem won his first race outdoors continuing his winning streak from high school to 26 straight races won. Mennem left A&M Corpus Christi to run for OklahomaState. After a year and half on the OSU squad Mennem left the team and Pure Speed Track Club was started.
Mennem was born on July 16th 1983. He has a brother and sister, Brad and Leslie, who were stand out track athletes in high school as well. His parents, Loren and Patty, were summer track coaches for several years. Kents brothers Insurance Agency, Mennem Insurance, is one of Pure Speeds sponsors. Kent is majoring in marketing at OklahomaState and is working in the medical sales field. He hopes to continue competing and coaching in track as long as possible.
MIKE SIMPSON
Mike "Primo" Simpson is a Gatorade High School All-American hailing from Utica, New York. He is a jump and hurdle specialist fom Proctor High School. He brings PR's of 6'10.25 in the high jump, 24'1 in the long jump, and 48'11 in the triple jump to Pure Speed. His jumping skills will make a huge impact on Pure Speed's team scoring.
Simpson is a New York Track All-State and ten time Gold Medalist at the Sunflower State Games. Mike competed for Hutchison Junior College in Kansas and now attends Langston University.
Mike joined Pure Speed after meeting the team at a track meet where
Mike won the high jump. Mikes favorite athlete is Michael Jordan. He was born
on March 26, 1983.
HENRY HALL
Hall was a three sport standout at Del City High School. Achievements in each include all-stating in football, basketball, and track. In football, Hall still holds records at Del City for yards per carry, yards per reception, and interceptions in a season. In track, Hall ended up all stating his junior and senior year in the 100m dash and the 4x100m relay. Hall's fastest time in the 100m dash was a 10.57, Hall was recruited by Division I and II schools for all three sports.
Hall ended up signing at OSU to play football. He ended up being a two year letterman before his career came to a momentary hault due to an ACL injury. Hall recovered and ended up joining the OSU Men's Basketball Team for a year on the practice squad. He played football for one more year for Oklahoma State.
The following year Hall ended up signing with the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgs for remainder of the summer following the spring semester.
Hall shortly after met Kent Mennem who at the time just stopped running for OSU. Mennem invited Hall to join his newly formed independent track team, Pure Speed Track and Field. Hall has been a member since.
Hall's parents, Henry and Karen Hall reside in Oklahoma City. Hall has one sister, Jasmine, that attends OU. Hall is a chemical engineering major also pursuing a minor in math and chemistry. Hall personal trains and plays basketball in his spare time, as well as working out
ERIC FULLER
Fuller is a three sport standout in track, basketball and football from Clinton High in Clinton, South Carolina. Fuller, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound athlete, played quarterback, defensive back, wide receiver and kick returner for Clinton in 2000 on the football squad. He was named Class 3A All-State by the High School Sports Report as a defensive back and earned All-Region honors after an outstanding senior season. SCPrepFootball.com rated Fuller as one of the states Top 10 defensive backs in the class of 2001.
Fuller signed to play at Independence Community College in Independence Kansas for two years to play football and then transferred to Mississippi State to finish his football career. At Independence Fuller was All-Conference. At Mississippi State Fuller played an important role in the defensive backfield. Fuller now living in Stillwater is finishing his school at Langston and joined Pure Speed Track Club while training to play football at the next level as well.
Eric was born on September 2nd, 1982. He is the son of Mr. Paul and Mrs. Doris Bryson.
Karla West
West is a cross-country and track and field standout from Corpus Christi, Texas. At King High School she was took second in her region in cross-country and advanced to state in the highly touted Texas 5A, what many say is the hardest class in the nation. She finished second in the 800m at regional as well her senior year.
After high school Karla competed for Texas A&M Corpus Christi University. She competed in track and field for four years and cross-country for three. She proved to be a very versatile athlete competing in the 400m hurdles, 4x400m relay, distance medley relay, 800m, 1500m, 3000m, 3000m steeplechase, 5000m, cross-country, and the half-marathon. West proved to be very competitive in any race she chose to challenge, but shined the most in the 800m and her newest event the 400m hurdles.
At the Rice Twilight meet West broke 62 seconds in the 400m hurdles and the school record after only training for the event for a short time period. In the 800m Karla has a PR of 2:15.47. Karla was the Border Olympic champ in the 800m in 2005 and placed 4th at the Michael Johnson Classic at Baylor in 2005 as well. In the same meet West placed 7th in the 400m hurdles.
West has finished her eligibility at A&M Corpus and will continue her track career with Pure Speed. She plans to focus in on one or two events so she can progress her times quickly instead of switching events for team purposes required on the collegiate level.
Karla West was born on July 11, 1983. She is the daughter of David and Victoria West. She has three siblings, Quincy, Quintin, and Kiara.
THE REST OF THE TEAM WILL BE ADDED SOON!
